--- title: "R. Stan Baker | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # R. Stan Baker U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia - State: Georgia - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Current role: Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia (since 2024) - Judge, District Court, S.D. Georgia, 2018-present - The Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, appointed by President Donald Trump and in office as a district judge since August 30, 2018 - Previous roles: U.S. District Judge (2018–present) U.S. Magistrate Judge (2015–2018) - Law Clerk, District Court, S.D. Georgia, 2004-2006 ### Education - University of Georgia — J.D. (2004) - Davidson College — B.A. (1999) - University of Georgia School of Law ### Additional information - Became Chief Judge in 2024, succeeding James Randal Hall - Magistrate, District Court, S.D. Georgia, 2015-2018 - Private practice, St. Simons Island, GA, 2009-2015 - Private practice, Athens, GA, 2006-2009 - Born 1977. - Date of birth: 1977-01-01 - Birth place: Athens, GA ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/5152936) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/5152936) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/5152936) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8539/r-stan-baker/) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8539/r-stan-baker/) - [Wikidata: R. Stan Baker](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38941243) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker", "name": "R. Stan Baker | KnowJudges", "description": "R. Stan Baker, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker#judge", "name": "R. Stan Baker", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker", "jobTitle": "Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.fjc.gov/node/5152936", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8539/r-stan-baker/" ], "birthDate": "1977", "birthPlace": "Athens, GA", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Davidson College" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Georgia" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Georgia School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Georgia", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/georgia" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "R. Stan Baker", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/r-stan-baker" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 316 | 2 | Not available | 2 | | 2y | 516 | 70 | 2.7 | 70 | | 5y | 1046 | 534 | 4.8 | 534 | | 10y | 1696 | 1160 | 7.9 | 1160 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.